Water tank problems with Bushtracker caravan

The previous owner of our BT changed the filling system to a set of four hoses on the one hose fitting (each with an indivudual little tap) on the a-frame. Just put a hose on the snap on fitting (we have like he had; a food grade hose with filter), and turn the tap on for each tank until it overflows. Takes a few minutes, but they are certainly full, and the process is easy. Are you on the Bushtracker owners group website? You may get more ideas if you ask this qquestion there.

Dear Motherhen
Many thanks for prompt reply. Don't understand how water filling can be mounted on A frame? No, we've not contacted BT's owners group - do you have Web link because we would be very interested. Yours, Penny

http://www.bushtrackerownersgroup.asn.au/Forum/Default.asp

Worth joining, although only a small group of regular correspondents. I see several of them on Exloroz as well as on the caravanners forum -

http://groups.msn.com/Caravanersforum/messageboard.msnw

I didn't crawl under the caravan or i would know how the previous owner fitted these hoses into the tanks. I let my husband do the crawling around. I had got confused about which tank was what - he followed which hoses went into which tank, and where they all came out again. Ours is a 1998 BT.

Pleased to find yet another BT in WA. If you are in the SW you are welcome to come and see ours - not on the road at present, but having had a 4 week holiday in January, we are doing all the things to get it to suit our needs.

Dear Motherhen

You think you're confused. We purchased this van 6 months ago and have only just taken our inaugural trip as the "shakedown cruise" - thereby finding out these problems. Big tricky when your power fails and you can't access what water you do have. I'll get onto that BT site and see what prevails, but hopefully we can work out a quicker system than that existing - seems interminable when filling. We are in Perth - just sold the house and about to launch into grey nomad zone before settling in Vic. Would have bought a smaller version than the 20' preferably, but this one came here at the right time and circumvented the very lengthy purchase process. Yours, Penny

Hi Alex and Penny,

Welcome to the Bushtracker Brigade.

I suggest you join the Bushtracker Ownerers Group as Motherhen suggested. There is both a public and a Private Forum as well as heaps of other info and lots of photos of various mods owners have done to customise their rigs. It does'nt cost much to join as a member - more info available than just visiting as a 'lurker'

I cannot help you with the filling problem as we only collect our van from the factory in May - but it sounds as is you have a venting problem somewhere. I have not seen any discussion re tank filling problems on the forums.

The factory contacts are on the Bushtracker Website www.Bushtracker.com or email them at sales@bushtracker.com - this is not the same site as the 'Boggers Forum' (Bushtrackers Owners Group) site. Explain the problem as fully as popssible.

Cheers

John and Jean (Kununurra WA)

Should be a simple fix.
First, check the breather pipes on the tanks, the little pigtail ones.
They sometimes get blocked by mud wasp nests.
Second. Make a filler hose. About 1 metre of 1/2" clear plastic hose with a fitting to connect to your water hose. Put a shut off valve in the system if you like, means that you can control water flow at the fill point. The 1/2" plastic irrigation valves are ideal.
Poke the smaller more flexible clear hose down the filler as far as it will go.
Park the van so that the front is slightly elevated above level. If pointed downhill air locks form more easily.
Fill tanks slowly.
Partly filled tanks on BT's are normally caused by air locks in the fill tubes.
The above system usually overcomes those problems.

Hope to see you on the BOG forum.

Bob

Thanks heaps Bob - very useful information which we will endeavour to put into action. Have joined BOG today - all now fully fledge.

Cheers, Penny